International Women's Day - 10 Amazing Women You've Probably Never Heard Of

Date Posted:6 March 2015

At Sirens Swimwear, we support women in business. Therefore, we are dedicating this blog to International Women's Day. We often hear about the great achievements of women like Marie Curie, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony or Amelia Earhart. While all of these women have certainly earned their recognition, this year let’s applaud the accomplishments of these ten amazing women you’ve probably never heard of.

Victoria Woodhull

Was an American stockbroker. In 1870, Victoria and her sister Tennessee started the first female-owned brokerage company on Wall Street. She was a successful stockbroker who made a fortune on the New York Stock Exchange. She was also the first woman to run for US president; I don’t need to tell you how that worked out, for her or any other woman who’s attempted it since.

Jeanne Baret

Of France, became the first woman to sail around the world in 1775. She disguised herself as a man so that she could assist her lover botanist Philibert de Commerson….the things we do for love.♥

Eva Ekeblad

Was a Swedish noblewoman. In 1746, she discovered how to make flour and alcohol from potatoes.

Grace Hopper

Was a US Navy officer who became a computer programmer after World War II. She was the leader of the team that invented the first program to convert normal English into computer commands. We owe her credit for the terms “debug” and “bug.” This term was coined when she had to pick moths out of an early computer.

Beate Gordon

Was an American activist who worked to ensure that women’s rights were enforced in Japan’s constitution. She was sick of seeing Japanese women being “treated like chattel.”

Amy Johnson

Became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Johnson was killed making a transport flight for her country during World War II.

Mary Davidson and Mildred Kenner

The next time Aunt Flo visits you may want to thank sisters Mary Davidson and Mildred Kenner for their invention of the sanitary belt in 1956. Mildred Kenner also invented the toilet tissue holder and the moisture-resistant pocket for the belt.

Maria Mitchell.

The next time you catch yourself glazing at the beautiful starry sky give thanks to Maria Mitchell. She was the first woman astronomer in the United States. Mitchell was also self-educated and at the age of seventeen, she started her own school.

Maryse Bastié

Was a pioneering French pilot who set several of the earliest long-distance records for women. She went on to start her own flying school near Paris.

These women and many others have shaped our history with their great accomplishments and achievements. They’ve done everything that a man could do and much more. Yes, women really do run the world!

Let’s take the time to celebrate women all over the world. Do you know of any other fascinating women to add to our list? Please share in the comments below!

Image: Born in England, Amy Johnson was one of the most courageous pilots of her time. She set many records, including being the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, in 1930.

She boldly entered the popular arena of daring early pilots who were setting and breaking world records for flight during the 1920s. She went on to work for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War in the all-women (and equal pay!) section of the Air Transport Auxiliary and died a heroine in 1941 after she had to parachute out of her plane into the Thames, her body was never recovered.